Webster davis



(No Model.)

w. DAVIS. PACKING ANDTRANSPORTI-NG MELONS.

No. 289.993. -Patent d 13 01411, 1883 UNHED %Tares PATENT Qerreti,

i XVEBSTER DAVIS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGA.

PACKING AND TRANSPRTING M ELONS.

SPECIFIJATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,993, datecl December 11, 1883. I

Application filed August 29, 1883. (No model.) v

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVEBsTER DAVIS, of At-` lanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Packing and Transporti'ng Mel ons; and I do hereby (leclare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

My invention relates to devices for the transportation ofmelons, to be used in con nection with cars, steamboats, or other Vehicles; but it is mainly intended for railroad transportation. a

The object of ny invention is to provide an inexpensive and convenient system of pack-v ing shelves or crates adapted to support separate tiers of melons, and to prevent them from being crushed by the weight of the upper tiers of melons, or to be bruised by jolting upon the way.

-My invention consists in a series of crates or shelves collapsible, and adapted to rest one upon the other and tobe built up in advance ot' the melons, whereby when one tier is completed it makes a solid structure filled with melons, while at the same time the crates may be easily emptied, beginning at the top, without interfering with the erat-e below.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a part of a railway-car with a number of crates in position, the crates also being in section. F'g. 2 is a cross-section of a car with the erates in place therein. Fig. 3 is a detail of an upper Grate; and Fig. 4 is a detail View .of the crate as used upon the floor of the car. a V

The crate to be used `on the bottom of the car, and which is shown in Fig. 4, is different, preferably, from those above it, and is composecl of a slotted shelf, `A, supported upon' legs b' b', hinged to the shelf, end pieces and posts c a' b b, also hinged to the upper part of the shelf, and all adapted to" fold inwardto make a compact device when not in use. The slats of the bottom are held in place by suitable cross-pieces, or in any convenient' manner. This lower crate answers practically for the first and second, as the floor of the car serves the purpose of the shelf A, and the legs b' bf serve to support the crate above the first-row of melons, which are placed upon the floor.

e filled.

The erates above the first or lowest crate are in all respects similar to' the first, with the eX- ception of the legs b' b which are (lispensed with, for the reason that the slatted shelf of the crate rests upon the end piece and posts of the crate beneath. The melons, when in place within the crates, lie close together, and thus prevent lateral movement; but as longitudinal movement is possible in this position I attach strips of cotton or canvas to the posts b b, thus forming a front wall to the crate, against which the ends of the melons may rest without injury tothemelons. The canvas or cotton still permits the crate to be collapsed.- The canvas or other material is attached in the same manner to the legs b' b' of the lower crate, and thus protects the melons upon the floor in the same manner as 'those above are protected. No canvas isplaced upon the posts a' a' at the back, for the reason that these posts are simply supports for the crate above it, and the cloth fronts of the first tier of erates serve as backs for the next succeeding tier, and so on. Ot'

course, if it is desired, the legs b' b' may be omitted from the lower erates, and they may be allowed to rest directly upon the floor; but I preferthe arrangement first described, as more economical.

In packing the melons within the car I preferto begin at one end andlay a row of melons upon the floor, close together. I then place over this row the crate, as illustrated in Fig. el, (throwing open all the 'hin ged parts,) which, it will be seen, completely covers the first row of melons and leaves this-w erat-e ready to be WVhen this is done, another crate is brought, the hinged parts opened, and this crate placed upon the first and then filled in like manner, and this building up and filling are continued until the car is filled throughout. When the car is to be enptiecl, the melons are taken fron the upper crate, which is then removed and collapsed and stowed away in any convenient place, or shipped back for further use. This is continued in like manner until the melons are all removed. i

Many obvious modifications may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit of my invention, such as change in the number of or position of the supporting-posts, floor, and cotton front. I do not 'therefore IOO limit myself to the preeise Construction of erates represented.

That I claim as my nvention is 1. In conbinatiou with {L car or other vehi- 5 ele, a series of erates for containing melons,

eaeh erute eonsisting of [L bottom for supporting the melons, end pieces to prevent lateral movement of the melons, and {L front Wall to prevent longitudinzl movement of the same, IO the vertical parts being made eollupsible, and the erztes being fitted to each other, substantially :s described, and for the purpose set fort-h.

2. In conbinzton with u ear or other vehiele, :t series of erates, eaeh e'ate having hnged ends a, hinged posts upon the front supporting {L eloth partition, and hinged posts upon the opposite side, uncovered and adapted to Support the Grate above, substantially as deseribed.

In testimony Whereof I have signed my name to this speeifieation in the presence of two subseribing witnesses.

WEBSTER DAVIS.

L. W'. SEELY, E. L. VVHITE. 

